Greek Attic Stemless Terracotta Kylix
Greek Attic Stemless Terracotta Kylix
Greek Attic Stemless Terracotta Kylix
Greek Attic Stemless Terracotta Kylix
Greek Attic Stemless Terracotta Kylix
Greek Attic Stemless Terracotta Kylix
Greek Attic Stemless Terracotta Kylix

Greek Attic Stemless Terracotta Kylix

$531.73

A stemless terracotta Greek Attic kylix (drinking cup), covered in a rich black gloss. The large, shallow body rests on a low concave foot. Two D-shaped handles protrude from the body on either side of the vessel. One of the handles has been repaired in three places. The handles have a strip of the black gloss running along the edge. A small black circle with a dot in the middle has been painted on the base.

Date: Circa 6th- 5th Century BC
Provenance: Ex K. Furness collection, acquired by descent from her mother. Circa 1950s onwards.
Condition: Very fine condition, some encrustation to the surface. Repairs to one of the handles.

SOLD

SKU: LD-638 Category:

Stemless kylix cups were used for an ancient Greek event known as a symposium. It was an exclusively male party held at a private residence, with the only women allowed being high class prostitutes known as ‘herairai’. These events would be opportunities for typically higher-class men to drink and discuss philosophy, politics, poetry and contemporary topical issues. It was thought that the kylix cup would have been shared around the party and be a communal drinking vessel. Cups could be plain or highly decorated, depicting scenes from both everyday life and mythological references.

For more information on the Greek symposium tradition, please see our blog post: The Symposium in Classical Cultures

Weight 262.9 g
Dimensions W 18.5 x H 4.9 cm
Culture

Pottery and Porcelain

Region

Reference: For a similar shape,The British Museum, item 1814,0704.630

You may also like…